Ford Basics - Tips For Fixing Up Your Ford

Things You Ought To Know

Jeff SmithSenior Technical Editor

April 1, 1999

It takes dedication to be a hot rodder. You have to be part engineer, part physicist, and part mechanical genius. If you happen to be a Ford fan, you must learn to avoid the common pitfalls that are a no-charge part of the Blue Oval world. It must be that Ford engineers take deranged pleasure from making parts that almost interchange. While hot rodding will always be a game of mixing and matching parts, it seems especially tough for Ford fans.

Its often helpful for a Ford fan to know what not to do so he can either fix or avoid problems altogether. To help you out, weve talked to a few knowledgeable Ford sources, such as John Vermeersch at Total Performance (who also runs the Motorsports Technical Hotline), Chris Kaufmann at Kaufmann Products, and Mark Sanchez at Advanced Engineering West. These experts have come up with some of the most common Ford mistakes and ways to avoid them. Commit these gems to memory and make fixing up those Fords a far more fun experience.